Michigan Legislature OKs changes to Medicaid reporting rules

LANSING — Michigan's Legislature has approved a bill that would exempt some Medicaid recipients from having to meet monthly reporting rules if the state can verify their compliance with work requirements through other data.

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is expected to sign the measure that won final passage from the Republican-led Senate Wednesday.

Starting in January, abled-bodied adults ages 19 through 61 who are enrolled in Michigan's Medicaid expansion plan and want to maintain their benefit must, on a monthly basis, show workforce engagement averaging 80 hours a month.

The legislation would exempt some enrollees from reporting.

More than 270,000 beneficiaries may be subject to the work rule. The requirement was enacted by the Republican-led Legislature and then-Gov. Rick Snyder in 2018.

People would have a month to verify their compliance, instead of 10 days under existing law. There also would be a grace period for those who miss the deadline.